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Sentence in the Case of Syrian National Killed Under Torture in Lebanon
The Lebanese military court has decided to change the classification of the crime regarding the killing of Syrian national Bashar Abd al-Saud, who died under torture, from a felony to a misdemeanor. The court sentenced the perpetrators for prison terms ranging from two months to 18 months, despite the presence of evidence proving their commission of a felony during investigations and hearings.
According to the news website "Janoubia," the military court, presided over by Brigadier General Khalil Jaber, issued its ruling nearly two years after Abd al-Saud's death in the Tebnine center of the State Security apparatus in southern Lebanon, which occurred on August 30, 2022. The court sentenced the officer with the rank of captain (H.A.) to six months in prison, the sergeant (Y.B.) to one and a half years, and the sergeants (A.K.) and (F.F.) to three months each, while the first sergeant (K.Z.A.) was sentenced to two months.
The indictment issued two years ago regarding Abd al-Saud's killing was welcomed by human rights organizations, which considered the military court's decision "historic" for shedding light on the practices of Lebanese security agencies. However, the recent ruling completely contradicts the indictment's content, which condemned the accused under Article 65/2017 of the Torture Law, classifying the crime as a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
The ruling was based on Article 166 of the Military Judiciary Law, which punishes any military personnel who violates regulations or general instructions with imprisonment for two months to two years. The civilian advisor and one of the officers on the panel of judges disagreed with this ruling.
It is worth noting that the family of Abd al-Saud waived their personal rights against the accused, which was taken into consideration by the court. Additionally, it is reported that the accused served the prescribed prison terms during the initial investigations and were released on varying financial bail during their trial period, according to the source.
